No Ceasefire Yet: Putin Insists on 'Root Causes' in Call With Trump

Following a two-hour phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin maintained his refusal to agree to a full ceasefire in Ukraine. Instead, Putin proposed negotiating a "memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty," emphasizing that 'the most effective paths towards peace' remain to be determined.

According to a source in the Ukrainian President’s Office, Kyiv continues to push for a full, unconditional ceasefire - a stance endorsed by Trump in March. Despite these efforts, Putin insisted that discussions should focus on "eliminating the root causes" of the conflict.

Putin stated that Russia is prepared to work on a memorandum that could outline key principles for a settlement, including the potential timing of a peace agreement and the possibility of a temporary ceasefire if certain conditions are met. However, he refrained from committing to an immediate cessation of hostilities.

The call between the two leaders came just days after inconclusive negotiations in Istanbul, where Russia's delegation, composed of low-level officials, reiterated broad territorial demands. Moscow continues to insist that Ukraine accept the loss of Crimea and four eastern regions. Despite the lack of progress, both sides agreed to a prisoner exchange, involving 1,000 prisoners each, set to take place this week.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the call as "productive," highlighting Trump’s "neutral" stance on the conflict, in contrast to the "openly pro-Ukrainian" position of European politicians. Peskov noted that ongoing contacts between negotiators offered hope of a potential breakthrough, though specifics remain unclear.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump’s refusal to back a joint U.S.-EU ultimatum demanding a ceasefire by May 12 and further sanctions against Moscow has drawn criticism from European allies. Republican lawmakers, however, are urging punitive measures against Russia. Senator Lindsey Graham announced that the "Russian Sanctions Act of 2025" is ready for enactment, proposing sweeping financial penalties and a 500% tariff on countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, or uranium.

During a previous call on March 18, Trump offered Putin a 30-day ceasefire, which the Russian president rejected. Although Putin announced a pause in strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities at the time, Kyiv has since accused Moscow of violating that pledge repeatedly.